Method of sizing wood heel bases



April 16, 1935. J. v. CRITCHLEY METHOD OF SIZING WOOD HEEL BASES FiledJune 6, 1933 marlin? M% wa W Tux W x: W

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 METHOD OF SIZING HEEL BASES James VernerCritchley, Worcester,-Mass,, as-

signor to Fitz-On Sales Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application June 6, 1933, Serial No. 674,536

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to the method of producing heels embodyinga base permanently attached to a boot or shoe, and a detachable top liftof leather or the like which is adapted to be 5 removed and replacedafter wear upon the permanent heel base.

According to the usual practice, it is customary to attach a wooden heelmember or base to a boot or shoe, secure a top lift to the tread end ofthe heel member, and thereafter manually finish the edge of the top liftinto registry with the adjoining surface of the heel base. This methodis slow and arduous, and frequently damages the heel base, especially ifcovered with a fabric or the like, but nevertheless is the methoduniversally employed in the manufacture of womens shoes having highheels of the French or Spanish type.

According to the present method, I propose to provide an accuratelysized and finished top lift according to the method described in myapplication filed of even date herewith, and to size or finish themeeting edge of the wood heel base into predetermined conformitytherewith. It is sufficient for my purpose if this accurate sizing ofthe heel base is confined to a relatively small area adjacent theattaching face, the remainder of the wood heel base being finished bysanding or the like as a manual operation, with its inevitableirregularities and non-uniformities.

I have found that the desired results can be satisfactorily attained byproviding a pattern or template having the predetermined dimensions andcontour which it is desired to impart to the attaching region of theheel base. Having accurately located this pattern or template in thesame relationship to the wood heel base that the top lift subsequentlyassumes, I can then impart automatically to the lower region of the heelbase a predetermined and uniform contour and dimensions. In actualpractice I have found that where the top lift is located by a socketinserted within the heel base, this same socket can be employed forproperly locating the cutting template or pattern. The actual reductionof the lower end of the heel base may be accomplished by any suitableform of cutter or abrasive wheel which is governed in its movements bythe template.

Heels of this type generally have an outward flare at the attachingface, and I utilize this outward flare to avoid the formation of a lineor shoulder by reducing the heel base through the provision of arota-ting cutter or wheel having an angle of taper somewhat less thanthe normal angle of flare of the heel base. By pre-sizing in thisfashion, the meeting edge of the heel base is brought into accurateconformity with the top lift, and the remainder of the heel may befinished to merge this portion without break in the smooth, even contourof the finished heel.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, Fig. 1represents a generally diagrammatic view of the heel template mounted inposition with the sizing tool engaging with the wood heel base; Fig. 2is a perspective of the template which exactly resembles the finishedtop lift in shape; and Fig. 3 is a perspective illustrating the finishedtop lift applied to a covered wood heel base after the sizing operationhas been performed.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention the wood heelbase to be sized is indicated at H], and is provided with an embeddedsocket i2 of generally triangular shape. The finished top lift M- isprovided with an attaching post l6 designed for insertion and receptionwithin the socket. This top lift, as previously described, is molded andfinished to an exact and predetermined size and contour.

For the purpose of sizing the attaching region of the wood heel baseinto a predetermined relation with the finished top lift, 1' provide ametallic cam or template lt which has the exact contour of the top lift,but is preferably somewhat smaller than the finished top lift to reducethe attaching region of the base to dimensions measurably smaller by apredetermined amount than the dimensions of the top lift. By thus sizingthe base, the heel covering subsequently applied to the base willincrease the dimensions of the base at the attaching region to the exactsize of the top lift, and produce an accurate fit.

The cam I8 is mounted upon a spindle 20 with the identical relation tothe spindle which the top lift bears to its attaching post, and inoperation, as shown in Fig. 1, the spindle is inserted at its end in thereceiving socket in the base. The opposite end of the base is centeredby a tail spindle 22 about which it revolves. The heel base is engagedat the attaching end by a cutter or abrasive wheel 24, mounted upon ashaft 26 and having a cam follower 28 in peripheral contact with thetemplate l8. By maintaining the template and follower in constantrelationship, the heel base may be revolved and sized by the cutter 24to the exact dimensions and contour of r the template. It will be notedthat this cutter is provided with-a tapered cutting face 30, the angleof which is slightly less than the outward flare of the heel base, andin consequence is capable of reducing the attaching region of the baseEs PATE T oFFrcj-E to the proper dimensions and contour withoutproducing a ridge or shoulder in the periphery of the base. Subsequentlythis sized area may be smoothly merged into the remaining peripheralportion of the base by the usual finishing or scouring operations.Subsequently to finishing the heel base may be covered in the usualmanner, and is thereafter ready for application of the finished toplift, which normally requires no further or additional finishing orsizing operation.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of producing heels having an attached top lift whichconsists in forming a top lift to a definite finished contour anddimensions, forming a wood heel base to approximate size and shape,reducing the attaching end of the wood heel base into exact andpredetermined relationship with the top lift, and finallysurface-finishing the remainder of the wood heel base to merge theattaching end therewith.

2,. The method of producing heels having a detachable top lift portion,which consists in producing a wood heel base having an embedded socket,producing "a finished top lift of exact contour and dimensions having apost designed to telescope within the socket, reducing the attaching endof the wood heel base to exact conformity with the top lift through theemployment of a template conforming in shape and size to the finishedtop lift and having a post located in conformity with the location ofthe post in the top lift and designed for insertion in the socket, and

reducing the area adjacent the template to exact 15 shape and dimensionsdetermined thereby.

JAMES VERNER CRITCHLEY.

